OCLC Research Distinguished Seminar Series Presents, "The 'Service Turn' and the Future of the Academic Library," with Scott Walter on 16 June 2011 at OCLC in Dublin, Ohio

31 May 2011

The public is invited to attend this free presentation in person or online.

Since its founding, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, like other leading research libraries, has been known for the breadth and depth of its collections. Like many of its peers among the membership of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), Illinois has articulated its role on campus and within the broader academic and information enterprises based on the strength of its collections. But what is the future of "distinctive collections" at a time when access to content is becoming increasingly common? Building on his experience helping to lead the "New Service Models" effort at Illinois, Scott Walter will argue that the future of the academic library depends on our ability to make a "service turn" in our thinking, and to articulate the ways in which "distinctive services" demonstrate our value to our users and our contributions to the teaching, learning, research, and service missions of our campuses. Drawing on examples from a number of institutions, Walter will outline different ways in which "distinctive services" may be identified, and the significance that attention to these service programs may have in informing strategic decisions about the future of academic libraries in a period of significant change.

This Distinguished Seminar Series presentation begins at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (UTC 13:00) and is followed by a question and answer session at 10:00 a.m. (UTC 14:00). Complete details are available at the links below.

Scott Walter is Associate University Librarian, Associate Dean of Libraries, and Professor of Library Administration at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he also holds faculty appointments in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science and the College of Education.

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